Manchester’s five Oxfam shops are gearing up for a busy month as they support the charity’s Second Hand September campaign, now in its fifth year.

The campaign is encouraging people across the UK to shop preloved and donate what they no longer need or wear for 30 days. If all UK adults bought half of their next wardrobe second-hand, it could prevent a whopping 12.5 billion kilogrammes of carbon dioxide emissions entering the atmosphere, new Oxfam research has revealed. This is the equivalent to a plane flying around the world more than 17,000 times.

Manchester’s Oxfam shops are located at:

494 Wilbraham Rd, Chorlton cum Hardy
Manchester
M21 9AS
300/302 Oxford Road, Whitworth Park
Manchester
M13 9NS
465 Wilmslow Road, Withington
Manchester
M20 4AN
778 Wilmslow Road, Didsbury
Manchester
M20 2DR
8-10 Oldham Street
Manchester
M1 1JQ

Since the first Second Hand September in 2019, increasing numbers of shoppers, activists and people within the fashion industry are choosing second-hand fashion. And the movement is growing.

Lorna Fallon, Oxfam’s Retail Director, said: “Choosing second-hand offers people a way to take action, to reshape the fashion industry, and reimagine the impact our clothes have on the world. I hope everyone in Manchester uses this as an opportunity to clear out their wardrobes and visit one of the five Oxfam shops across the city.”

Choosing second-hand fashion extends the life of clothes, reducing the need for brand-new clothes which produce climate-damaging emissions when they are manufactured. Climate change is hitting the world’s poorest communities hardest right now. Money raised from Oxfam fashion raises crucial funds for Oxfam’s work with partners around the world fighting the injustice of poverty and the impact of the climate emergency.

Oxfam’s Second Hand Clothes Ambassador, Miquita Oliver has been shopping in charity shops her whole life. “It’s timely that we’re talking about second-hand clothes and living in a more sustainable way, as awareness of the environmental impact of our shopping choices is growing. Today’s research from Oxfam shows that something as simple as buying clothes second-hand, and donating what we don’t wear any more, can help change the world for the better. It’s as simple as that,” she said.

Dr Carolyn Mair, a cognitive psychologist working in the fashion industry partnered with Oxfam, she explains why people may hold on to clothes years after they’ve stopped wearing them: “Research shows that in the UK, an adult’s wardrobe on average contains 31 items of unworn clothes. Nostalgia, money, guilt and body image can all play a part in our reasons for not letting certain items go.”

Reasons for holding on to unworn clothes:

Clothes can provide a sense of security and comfort, especially during times of uncertainty or stress. Holding onto familiar items, even if they are no longer worn, can serve as a psychological safety net.
Keeping clothes that remind us of significant moments, happier times, or people who are no longer with us, can help us preserve those connections, recall the memories, and cope with emotions related to loss or change.
Clothes play a significant role in shaping our identity and self-image. We might believe that certain clothes reflect our personality or aspirations, so letting go could feel like letting go of part of our self-identity.
We associate positive comments/feedback we receive when wearing particular items with the item itself. This gives us external validation and a sense of worthiness so we might be reluctant to let go of these items.
Holding onto clothes that are no longer worn avoids the guilt, perceived, or actual later loss, of letting go of them. This is worse if we fear that we won’t be able to replace them later if needed.
We might hope to lose or gain weight so we fit into the clothes [again] in future.
We think the clothes might come back into fashion.
We might be reluctant to let go of an item if we have invested a significant amount of money or time in buying and caring for the item.
Donating to, or buying second-hand at, Manchester’s Oxfam shops this Second Hand September is your opportunity to shop in a way that is kinder to people and planet. Find out more at https://www.oxfam.org.uk/get-involved/second-hand-september/